Innehållsförteckning för March 2025 från Platinum

We’re gearing up for the start of spring! On the fashion front, our collection of coats will see you through those rainy-day walks (page 28), while our Platinum Picks pay homage to the Pantone Colour Of The Year: “Mocha Mousse” (page 22). Stylist on TV’s This Morning, Jo Good, speaks to us about her rise to fashionista status and social media influencer (page 34) and why, as she turns 70, she’s enjoying all life has to offer and encouraging other women to reinvent their style. And speaking of style, our celebrity interview is with Vanessa Feltz (page 12), who has launched yet another fabulous range with 4Love. Vanessa talks candidly about her upbringing, former struggles with her weight, and the situations that have shaped her into the fiercely independent woman…

Nelson Mandela once said: ‘Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.’ I tend to agree and do everything I possibly can to dodge the bitterness bullet when I feel I have been wronged. But what about going one step further and granting forgiveness to those who may have upset you? Am I the forgiving kind? Well, that depends. Outwardly, probably, because life’s too short to go around falling out with everyone and, if you still socialise in the same circles then it makes it uncomfortable for everyone else if you’re at loggerheads. But inwardly, it can be a different story depending on precisely what someone has done to upset me. When it comes to trust, it’s fair to say that I compartmentalise all my…

When I look back at my career (something I try not to do), it was inevitable that fashion was going to play a mighty role. Working as a young and fairly successful actress, hours were spent in costume departments – I marvelled at how the costume designers could create the perfect outfit for whatever character – or on shopping sprees with wardrobe assistants. We would scan the department store in one swoop and pluck from collections applicable skirts, dresses, coats and accessories. In those early days I was cast for my looks so everything we bought is what I would have loved to have owned for myself! I would stand in my underwear behind the changing room curtain as endless items of clothes were thrust at me and then emerge…

It’s official, this is my least favourite time of year. I am thoroughly bored with winter right about now and I’m longing for longer days and the heat of the sun. I’ve cooked my fill of comforting casseroles and begin to dream of salads. But we are not quite there yet! These few weeks are known as the Hunger Months or Hunger Gap because long before refrigeration and freezers, it signalled the period when carefully stored reserves of food for winter would inevitably come to an end, leaving very little to feed the household. In medieval England, eating during this time was about as dull and uninspiring as it gets: a dreary diet dominated by old potatoes and root vegetables, leathery cabbage and wormy apples. For some, preserved fruits and…

Do you ever wonder about the people who made the bottle of wine you’re enjoying? The subject of women in wine fascinates me. Like many industries, the wine world was traditionally male-dominated but this has changed in recent years and there are now some fabulous female winemakers creating wonderful wines. It’s interesting to consider how the different perspectives and approaches of men and women in winemaking might affect the end product in the bottle. Wineries are often family businesses and in many regions, the inheritance is passed to male children. It was commonly thought that men knew more about wine then women and there was a “need not apply” culture for women in the winemaking business – unless it was in administrative or sales and marketing functions. After all, what…

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: CORTEO JANUARY 9 – MARCH 2, LONDON (cirquedusoleil.com) Cirque du Soleil will be presenting their esteemed show Corteo at the Royal Albert Hall in early 2025. A wholly unique Cirque du Soleil production, the show is centred around a joyous and festive parade imagined by a clown. Featuring incredible acrobatics, including mind-blowing trapeze, trampoline and teeterboard – even a clown suspended by balloons! – as well as hilarious comedic moments and live music, it’s definitely a must-see.…

It is early on Sunday morning, the temperature is just above freezing and the drizzle is turning into sleet. Despite that I am determined to immerse myself beneath the surface of Windermere. The lake spools in front of me, shrouded in a muted grey mist which occupies the liminal space between earth and sky. I can see brightly coloured hats bobbing around in the water – it is swimmers who are braver than I am heading into the deep. I have only been persuaded to get in because they are brave enough to swim. I love outdoor swimming and know how transformative and healing it can be, but this is hard for me; the water is so cold it burns my skin, and my Raynaud’s means that my hands and…

LOUISE MINCHIN The TV presenter and author takes a bracing dip in Lake Windermere to boost body and soul. SUZY GLASKIE Health coach Suzy on why you should tune into your body’s signals for better health. VALENTINA HARRIS The cook and author on what we can eat in the “hunger months”. ADELE PARKS MBE Bestselling author Adele rounds up her top new reads, plus an extract from her latest novel. NICK HAMILTON Gardening guru Nick sets out his checklist of outdoor jobs for the month of March. GAIL ROLFE Our fashion expert shares her fun and frugal finds to liven up your style. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter on why forgiveness can make for a more contented life. DR DAWN HARPER The author and GP celebrates how far women’s…

Considering that Vanessa Feltz has spent a whopping 35 years in the public eye and had every part of her life dissected under a media microscope, you’d be forgiven for thinking you already know everything there is to know about the television personality, journalist and broadcasting legend. But trust us when we say you don’t know the half of it. Find that hard to believe? Then give her utterly unputdownable autobiography Vanessa Bares All: Frank, Funny and Fearless a read and prepare to be shocked, saddened and surprised with every turn of the page. Not that we’re suggesting Vanessa’s life story is a sorry tale of woe by any means. Yes, her moving memoir is full of tribulations – think navigating an excruciatingly public divorce, a gruesome gastric band surgery,…

It is no surprise to see soft pastels have made a return for spring: eyes awash with delicate lilacs, soft beiges, shades of putty or clay, and even satin coppery pinks. Metallic accents or soft shimmer also make an appearance, which can take an ordinary eye up to an extraordinary eye. To welcome in spring, the use of stronger pops of colour on the nails and lips, think raspberry, punchy pinks or berry, really brighten the face. This look works best and appears more modern if the rest of your make-up is pared back, allowing lips and nails to take centre stage. If you have a slightly downturned mouth, try drawing the lip line just short of the corners of the mouth, using a concealer if necessary. To embrace the…

It’s likely you will have heard a lot about the importance of getting enough vitamin D, especially at this time of year. Despite this, many are still unsure on exactly what role it plays in the body and, worse, 30-40 per cent of people in the UK are still classed as vitamin D deficient during the winter. So, what is it? Despite its name, vitamin D is, in fact, a hormone; it’s made in your skin when it’s exposed to sunlight, hence why some refer to it as “the sunshine vitamin”. This hormone plays an important role in a whole host of bodily functions, including regulating your immune system and helping you fight off illness, keeping your joints and bones healthy, and keeping your heart in check. It’s not all…

Twenty five years ago, I was so detached from my own body’s needs that I even dismissed the need to wee. I was working in an intensely stressful environment where, no matter how hard I tried, I never had a chance of getting through my workload. One lunchtime, I was up to my eyeballs trying desperately to get on top of an unfeasible amount of work, when I suddenly realised I hadn’t gone to the loo all that morning. I tore myself away from my desk but, a few seconds into my wee, I decided it was just taking too damn long. I didn’t have the time to sit there doing a stupid wee. So I pulled my pelvic floor into action and cut it short, mid-flow. Zipped-up, washed hands…

Adele Parks MBE is the author of 24 bestselling novels, including number one Sunday Times Bestsellers Just My Luck and Lies Lies Lies. Her latest, First Wife’s Shadow, is a twisty psychological thriller about love, obsession, jealousy and greed. Her novels are popular all over the world and have been translated into more than 30 different languages. She is dedicated to spreading the love of reading and is a proud ambassador of The National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency. She loves hearing from readers so keep in touch with her via X @adeleparks or instagram.com/adele_parks. HOPE STREET by Mike Gayle (£20, Hodder & Stoughton) Mike Gayle has been a regular of retailer and library bookshelves for over 25 years. If one of his 18 novels isn’t already nestled in…

‘Shirley is an inspiration’ ‘Dear Platinum magazine, I really loved reading the interview with Shirley Ballas in the February issue. I have loved watching Strictly since it began and was so pleased when Shirley joined as head judge, being such a promiment person in the dance world and a true professional. I always listen to her comments more than the other judges! And I loved hearing about how she’s had to overcome so much in the dance world and yet come out on top. I resonated with her comment about wishing she could tell her younger self to “stand up for yourself and don’t be frightened to speak out” – I wish I could go back too and tell my younger self the same thing. I hadn’t known about her…

When it comes to building the perfect winter capsule wardrobe, you can never go wrong with investing in a stylish coat or jacket. Especially when you consider our mercurial and unpredictable climate, and how lengthy our winter can be. Right now many will be in the sales and reduced, making it possible for you to grab something that was previously out of budget. There was a time when winter coats and jackets were the afterthought, rather than the main event. The choices were limited. Now the choice of styles, shapes and fabrics is boundless. In reality they are not affected by trends. Of course, there will always be new iterations, but the joy of buying wisely is that these are items that you will return to, not only next year,…

Growing older has lots of benefits – more wisdom, life experience and a chance to reinvent oneself. And while the passage of time will naturally change us inside and out, the worlds of skincare and science are ever developing ways to help slow the passage of time, from a visual point of view at least. One of the areas that ages fastest is our necks – along with hands – so it’s surprising that in the past, skincare companies only focused on face products. However, this has changed, and the number of searches for and interest in chin and jaw-focused “tweakments” has risen rapidly. This is perhaps in part because of the rise of using smartphones – FaceTime can make anyone conscious of their face as those forward-facing cameras seem…

March is Women’s History Month, so I thought I would go a bit off piste and tell you a story about one of the most influential women in British medical history. I first came across Dr Elizabeth Blackwell a few years ago when I was filming a documentary on her for the BBC. Elizabeth Blackwell was born in Bristol just over 200 years ago on February 3, 1821. She was the third of nine children born to Hannah and Samuel Blackwell. When she was just 11 years old, her family relocated to Cincinnati in the United States. Sadly, six years later, her father died leaving the family penniless, which forced Elizabeth to join her mother and two older sisters out to work as teachers to support the family. Whilst still…

Cheese and pickle pies Cheese and pickle is a classic combination more usually found in a sandwich than encased in shortcrust pastry. These pies pair not one but two cheeses with tangy Branston for a different take on the duo. Serves 12 ● 1 x 450g jar of Branston pickle● 150g firm mozzarella, grated● 150g Cheddar, grated For the pastry ● 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting● 200g butter, plus extra for greasing● 1 tsp salt● 2 eggs, 1 whole, 1 beaten To serve ● Chutney● Pickled onions● Celery● Tomatoes● Pears 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan)/325°F/gas 3. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin. 2. For the shortcrust pastry, place the flour in a bowl, add the butter and salt and rub between your fingers until the mixture…